overthink

British

/ ˌəʊvəˈθɪŋk /

verb

to spend more time thinking about something than is necessary or productive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It holds heat, keeps its nerve, and moves easily from stovetop to oven to broiler and back again without asking you to switch vessels or overthink it.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

“I tend to overthink it when I know too much.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

When looking for the best ways to play the ongoing semiconductor boom this year, investors might not want to overthink things.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 9, 2026

"I started to overthink this and really focus on, I am the problem. I could see everybody was starting to feel down, because of me."

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

“It’s okay. I’m right here. Try to relax and enjoy the water. Don’t overthink it. You won’t drown.”

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023